“Wait Rose wait you can’t just walk in,” Romey told her cousin but was unable to stop her.
“No he will have throw me out himself!” she told her cousin with tears in her eyes as she reached the front door to the house she had once claimed hers. “Nana?” she called as she walked in.
“My dear Rose,” Louisa said as she came into the foyer. She hugged her and quickly pulled her to the kitchen. “My child you can’t scream your father will hear you.”
“I want him too…” Rose said out loud. “Why didn’t he tell me he was sick? Where is he?”
“I am right here,” Mark said as he walked in a cane on his left hand.
“Dad?” Rose said in a whisper as she covered her mouth. She began to cry and without a warning went to hug her father.
He held to her like he had when she was younger and she had hurt herself while playing. “Rose I am so sorry honey, I don’t know what came in to me? I love you sweetie I do…” he told her as he kissed her forehead.
“I’ve already forgotten daddy. Let’s just focus on getting you better now.” She told him as she began to cry more.
“It’s a little more complicated Rose,” he said. “I have to find a donor and well it’s a long wait, not even my money can help me buy one I have to wait on list like anyone else.” he said as he smiled wryly.
“You do have a donor… me,” she said she wiped her tear stained face. She hugged him and spoke again, “I am sure I am compatible I am your daughter.”
When Mark heard her he started to cry, “How can you offer yourself after all I put you through?” he said hugging tightly again.
“Simple daddy… you’re all I have left and no matter what I love you.”
********
He arrived in Orlando in a very somber mode. He still didn’t understand why she left, he had tried his best to give her space and not make her feel obligated to anything. Maybe she was right, she was not for him. It was just too hard to understand that, when you feel like she was it for him. He heard his name being called and looked up; he was surprised to see AJ standing there. “AJ?” he said questionably.
“Hey Nick, I arrived here earlier. So I thought why not come and pick you guys up. Where’s Rose?” he asked as he saw that he was alone.
“Uh,” he rubbed his neck as he tried to speak again. “She not here, she left me…she just disappeared leaving me a letter and I actually have a letter for you too. She wants you to read it I guess.” He finished as he took out the letter from his pocket, he knew the faster he gave it to him the less the temptation to read it he would have.
“What? What did you do?” he asked in confusion. His heart sinking as he saw the envelope on his hand.
“Nothing she just told me she couldn’t continue to lie to me and pretend to love me,” he said as he looked down to the floor. “Look I’ll just grab a cab…I am not feeling well,” he finished as he walked away not waiting for his response.
*******
He read the letter and reread the letter. He didn’t understand why she ran away. She just kept repeating that she didn’t want to ruin a good friendship. Yet she wasn’t thinking about him and how he felt. How she felt, he had felt her tremble at his touch. She felt something for him. He wanted to go after Nick and tell him it was his fault, ask for his forgiveness. Then hope he would be ok with him going after Rose. But yet he felt compelled to listen to Rose’s plea. She had asked for him to not tell Nick anything. She had asked him to try and find someone better. Time that’s what she asked for…could he do it?
******
She looked at her home, many memories. Her home in Madrid was her favorite…she thought about how abruptly she had left. But she couldn’t live with being the culprit in the separation of two good friends. Besides now she had her father to care for. In two days she would begin her preparation for the surgery to save the man that once disowned her. She had so many things to think about and most of all she had to mourn the loss of Rony. The truth is she wasn’t sure if she even felt like she was ready to be with anyone else. She still felt like Rony was alive and one of these days show up at her house with his beautiful smile.
“Why are you so thoughtful?” he asked his daughter as he sat beside her in the bench looking into the garden.
“Daddy you shouldn’t be up…here let me take you to your bed. Enjoy your bed for one more time, because after today you will be stuck in a hospital bed for quite sometime.” She told her father as she kissed is forehead.
“I’m fine Twinkles; I want to talk to you actually. I don’t know where to start…but if something happens to me everything is yours you understand?” he hugged her. He was scared yet he knew his daughter loved him. He loved her too and he was very sorry for the pain he caused her. If he would’ve of let Rony date her she would be happy at this moment.
“I don’t care for that dad...I want you. I don’t think I can live if I loose you too…” she told her father as she hugged him. “Everything will be fine and once your ok we are going to travel like before you understand?” she said putting a smile on her face.
*******
He pretended to be honored and happy with his surprise birthday party slash New Year’s bash. But the truth he was still trying to understand why she had runaway. Was he going crazy for nothing? What made him feel like he needed to find her and tell her that he wanted to be with her. Then Nick’s face came up and instead he felt like it was better to let it go.
“Yo, Aje you look like your not here, man enjoy your freaking party…” said Brian as he handed him a gift.
“Thanks Rok,” he said as he hugged his friend. “I love my party it’s just a little surprising,” he managed to say before he spotted his younger friend sitting alone with the look of worry. “I’ll be right back,” he told Brian as he walked toward Nick.
“Hey,” he said as he took a seat next to him. “You look like your having a blast…” he said with sarcasm.
“What do you want me to say AJ? Happy birthday? Or more like now that your birthday is here it only means mine is a few days away and that means I am getting old.” He smiled weakly at AJ, “Can I tell you something? Or ask you something?”
“Yeah sure what’s up?” AJ asked curiously.
“Well when I got to my hotel yesterday I began to think and it hit me… why Rose could never really feel love toward me… she loves you. Now I am just wondering why you didn’t tell me, since she preferred to walk away.” He said finally letting it out. He had gone to his hotel and just thought about it all and had finally seen the light. Rose was in love with AJ. There was no denying it.
He felt like a cold bucket of water had been thrown on him, “What do you mean?” he asked still trying to make it sound like he didn’t understand what Nick was saying.
He rolled his eyes, “come on AJ I may look stupid but I’m not!” he said now facing his friend. “You knew I liked her lot!” he said putting his hand into a fist.
“Fine, I love her and I think that I felt something for her since I met her. I think she was my first love at first sight. I am sorry man; she didn’t want to hurt you so she chose none. I know you think you love her Nick, but I do love her I can’t stop thinking about her and its killing me to know she is not here. There I said it, but for you I am willing to let it go, I could never live with myself if I did something like what happened to me with Sarah.” He finally stopped talking and sighed heavily feeling remorse.
He laughed lightly and spoke, “I knew there was more to your Good Samaritan thing…” he said as he patted AJ’s back. “But I can’t make her love me, she loves you man. I don’t want to be the culprit of your unhappiness. Just promise that you will love her with all your heart.” He said resigning for good on his Rose.
He looked at his friend in bewilderment, “What are you talking about?” he asked with a lump forming on his throat. He knew exactly what Nick was doing…it just hurt him to see his friend give up.
“Just what you heard, I give her up go find her stupid. By the way happy birthday,” he smiled but it was a sad smile. He knew it was the best choice though.
Chapter End Notes:
ok another chapter... if your wondering why I am updating this one often...well I already have it complete just tweeking it as I post it. Oh and please review!! :)
